Device for dispensing heated fluids



Sept. 3, 1968 F. A. BURNE 3,399,810

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING HEATED FLUIDS Filed Jan. 6, 1967 INVENTOR. FREDERICK A EURNE' avgaygidwu A TT'OKWE) United States Patent 3,399,810 DEVICE FOR DISPENSING HEATED FLUIDS Frederick A. Burne, Hamden, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Jan. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 607,731 6 Claims. (Cl.-222146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for dispensing heated fluids which comprises a fluid container having an outlet nozzle and a heat exchanger adjacent said outlet nozzle, said heat exchanger comprising an inlet orifice communicating with the container outlet nozzle, an outlet orifice communicating with .said inlet orifice, a porous metal member within the heat exchanger chamber between the aforementioned inlet and outlet orifices and a barrier adjacent said inlet orifice to provide distribution of discharged fluid through the aforementioned porous member.

The present invention relates to devices for dispensing heated fluids. In particular, the present invention relates to devices for preparing and dispensing heated fluids, such as aerosol products, and doing so with a high degree of efficiency and at a low cost.

Recently, pressurized aerosol products, such as shaving cream lathers, shampoo lathers and the like, have been gaining widespread recognition. More recently the art has produced a number of devices which permit dispensing such products in the heated condition. It can be readily understood that devices for dispening heated fluids attain numerous advantages, especially when such devices are usedin conjunction with aerosol shaving lathers; therefore, the present invention will be described with particular reference to containers for dispensing aerosol shaving lathers. However, it should be understood that the device of the. present invention is readily suitable for usein conjunction with dispensing any heated fluid, such as aerosol products, food products, and so forth.

Aerosol shaving lathers are usually produced from liquid compositions comprising a mixture of an aqueous soap or detergent solution and a liquefied, normally gaseous propellant. Such compositions, when released from a valve-controlled aerosol type container yield a stable lather which can be applied directly to the skin of the user prior to shaving. Due to the expansion and evaporation of the liquefied propellant upon extrusion, the temperature of such lather is usually below room tempera- -ture andthe body temperature of the user. The application of such cool lather to the body of the user is not entirely pleasant. Furthermore, the softening elfect of such lather on the beard or hair of the user is reduced by the lower temperature thereof. v The desirability of providing a heated aerosol shaving lather has been recently recognized-and a number of devices have been proposed in the art to perform such funcitiv'ely poor heat exchange efliciency.

Other similar devices which have been proposed utilize a heating jacket around a lather discharge tube, with the heating jacket being connected to a hot water tap and being supplied with a continuous flow of hot water therefrom. Due to the low heat transfer coefficients inherent to such lathers, such'devices are ineffective in raising the product to temperatures substantially close to the hot water tap temperature unless a latherdischarge tube of substantial length is used. The use of such long tubes results in a breakdown of the lather due to the considerable flow resistance offered by such tubes and due to the long residence time. Furthermore, a substantial volume of lather is left within the tube after the user discontinues operation of the device. This residual lather, in .a compressed state due to the high flow resistance of the heating device, will expand and ooze out of the tube outlet causing copious and prolonged afterflow.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved device for dispensing heated fluids.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such a device at a low cost and simple construction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device as aforesaid which has a small and compact construction.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from a consideration of the following specification.

Broadly, the device of the present invention comprises:

(A) A fluid container having an outlet nozzle for discharging the contents thereof and (B) A heat exchanger adjacent said outlet nozzle having side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall defining a chamber therein, said heat exchanger having:

(1) an inlet orifice communicating with said outlet nozzle,

(2) an outlet orifice communicating with said inlet nozzle,

(3) a porous metal member between said inlet and outlet orifice, and

(4) barrier means adjacent said inlet orifice for distributing the discharged fluid throughout said porous member.

In operation, when the lather is extruded from the aerosol container the lather flows through the outlet nozzle into the inlet orifice of the heat exchanger. The barrier means distributes the discharged fluid to the porous metal member and the fluid is extruded through the porous metal member and out the outlet orifice. The heat exchanger conveys heat to the fluid generally by virtue of running the heat exchanger under hot water or by virtue of an electric heater cell. Thus, the residual heat retained in the heat exchanger is imparted to the fluid passing through the porous metal member.

It has been found that this simple construction attains numerous heretofore unattained advantages. The device of the present invention combines simple and inexpensive construction, a surprisingly high level of heat exchange efficiency and a small and compact size. Furthermore, the numerous pores in the porous metal member through which the lather is extruded serves to break up the lather and the aerosol propellant bubbles, thus giving a richer shaving cream than heretofore attained. Still further the device of the present invention attains no afterflow due to the small and compactv size thereof.

-The present invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the components of the device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the assembled heat exchanger of the present invention;

FIGURES 3 through 5 are sectional views similar to FIGURE 2 showing additional embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 show a preferred form of the device of the present invention where 10 represents a sintered porous metal member.

The porous metal member may be of any desired metal,

preferably a metal that conducts and holds heat well, has a high surface area low pressure drop and permits fluid flow, with aluminum or copper or alloys thereof being particularly preferred. The porous metal member may be prepared by conventional sintering powder metallurgy techniques, e.g., aluminum shot may be placed in a mold and heated to a temperature just below the melting point so that the particles fuse or braze together to form a solid, highly porous mass having the desired shape. Virtually any desired porosity may be obtained by controlling the size of the metal particles.

The porous metal member has annular side walls 11 and a bottom wall 12 having a central opening 13 therein. The porous member has an open top which forms a central cavity 14 communicating with central opening 13.

Seated in central cavity 14 is a metal slug 15. The metal slug is preferably of solid metal since it is highly desirable to obtain as much mass in the heat exchanger as possible in order to store more heat. However, if greater lightness is desired, a hollow metal slug may be used. It is preferred to use an aluminum extrusion for cost considerations, because of its light weight and high heat capacity; however, other metals may be readily employed, such as copper, steel, etc. The metal slug 15 is received in central cavity 14 and blocks opening 13. Thus, the slug 15 serves as a barrier adjacent opening 13. In general, any barrier means may be employed to block opening 13, such as a small metal disc. This serves to prevent the fluid from going straight through the porous member and to cause the fluid to be distributed throughout the porous member. Thus, the fluid traverses the many pores of the porous member, contacting virtually each particle and deriving maximum benefit from the considerable residual heat of the porous member. This enables the attainment of a highly eflicient and compact heat exchanger.

The :metal slug 15 and the porous member 10 are assembled together and seated in heat exchanger 16. Heat exchanger 16 preferably has a generally circular shape, with circular side walls 17, a top wall 18 and a bottom wall 19, said side walls, top wall and bottom wall defining therein a chamber 20. Bottom wall 19 has an inlet orifice 21 centrally thereof communicating with chamber 20. The assembled metal slug 15 and porous member 10 are inserted in chamber 20 so that central opening 13 communicates with inlet orifice 21 and that annular side walls 11 are tightly received in chamber 20 adjacent side walls 17. The tight fit may be assured by selecting the size of the porous member 10 to require a slight force to insert porous member 10 into chamber 20. Alternatively, porous member 10 may be sintered or brazed to side walls 17. Also, if desired, porous member 10 may be sintered or brazed to slug 15.

Top wall 18 is preferably a removable piece as shown in FIGURE 1 with an annular flange 22 cooperating with annular flange 23 of side walls 17. Thus, top wall flange 22 may be crimped onto side wall flange 23 to obtain a tight assembly after the insertion of metal slug 15 and porous member 10.

Top wall 18 has a projecting flange 24 which cooperates with projecting flange 25 of side walls 17 to form an outlet orifice 26 adjacent top wall 18 communicating with chamber 20. Outlet orifice 26 also communicates with inlet orifice 21 through chamber 20 and porous member 10.

The assembled heat exchanger 16, including porous member 10 and metal slug 15, is placed adjacent outlet nozzle 27 of metal can 28, with outlet nozzle 27 inserted into inlet orifice 21. The assembled heat exchanger 16 may be aflixed to can 28 by any desired means. Removable cap 29 may be aflixed to cap 28 to complete the assembly. Alternatively, cap 29 may be permanently affixed to can 28 and provided with openings for ingress and egress of heating water.

Thus, in operation, the user removes cap 29 and heat exchanger 16 affixed to can 28 under hot tap water, the hot tap water flowing around heat exchanger 16, heat- 4 ing same. The user then presses on top wall 18, activating nozzle 27. This forces the aerosol shaving cream into inlet orifice 21. Metal slug 15 causes the cream to distribute itself throughout porous member 10 and to be ejected via outlet orifice 26. In passing through porous member 10, the cream picks up heat from the porous member 10, and also from metal slug 15, causing it to be ejected in the heated condition. r w

Note in the assembled heat exchanger 16 shown in FIGURE 2, inlet chamber 30 adjacent inlet orifice 21 in order to provide for initial radial distribution of the shaving cream.

FIGURES 3 through 5 are sectional views similar to FIGURE 2 showing alternate embodiments of the heat exchanger of the present invention.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 3, porous member 10 is surrounded by annular ring 32. Porous metal member 10 is substantially flat having a central opening 13 therein communicating with inlet orifice 21. Metal slug 15 is inserted in central opening 13 to provide barrier means adjacent inlet orifice 21 for distributing the discharged fluid and to provide heat sink capacity.

FIGURE 4 is similar to FIGURE 3 except that central opening 13 does not go all the way through porous member 10 and that there is no metal slug 15. In the embodiment of FIGURE 4 the porous metal adjacent the upper portion of inlet chamber 30 is burnished or coated in such a manner to prevent the fluid from going directly through the porous member. Thus, the burnished or coated portion 33 is the barrier means adjacent inlet orifice 21 distributing the discharged fluid throughout the porous member 10. The embodiment of FIGURE 4 similar to the embodiment of FIGURE 3 is provided with annular ring 32 surrounding porous member 10. It is also preferred to burnish the top portion of porous member 10 touching cover 18.

The embodiment of FIGURE 5 utilizes a metal disc 34 received in chamber 20 having a plurality of ribs 35 therein defining channels therebetween communicating with inlet orifice 21 and outlet orifice 26. Thus, in this embodiment the fluid enters inlet orifice 21 and inlet chamber 30 and leaves outlet orifice 26 after passing through the plurality of channels defined by ribs 35. The fluid is heated by virtue of passing through heated disc 34.

This invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for dispensing heated fluids which comprises:

(A) a fluid container having an outlet nozzle for discharging the contents thereof,

(B) a heat exchanger adjacent said outlet nozzle having side walls, a top Wall and a bottom wall defining a chamber therein, said heat exchanger having:

(1) an inlet orifice communicating with said outlet nozzle, (2) an outlet orifice communicating with said inlet orifice, 2 (3) a porous sintered metal member received in said chamber between said inlet and outlet orifice, said porous sintered metal member having annular side walls adjacent the side walls of said heat exchanger, 21 bottom wall having a central opening therein communicating with said inlet orifice, an open top, a central cavity communicating with said central opening and a metal slug received in said central cavity, and said slug forming (4) barrier means adjacent said inlet orifice for distributing the discharged fluid throughout said porous member, whereby removal of said heat exchanger is not necessitated in operation.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger has a generally circular shape.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said inlet orifice is in said bottom wall, centrally thereof.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said outlet orifice is adjacent said top wall.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said porous metal member is of a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper and alloys thereof.

6. A device for dispensing heated fluids which comprises:

(A) a fluid container having an outlet nozzle for discharging the contents thereof,

(B) a heat exchanger adjacent said outlet nozzle having generally circular side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall defining a chamber therein, said heat exchanger having:

(1) an inlet orifice in the bottom wall thereof communicating with said outlet nozzle,

(2) an outlet orifice adjacent the top wall thereof communicating with said inlet orifice,

(3) a sintered, porous metal member tightly received in said chamber having annular side walls adjacent the side walls of said heat exchanger, a bottom wall having a central opening therein communicating with said inlet orifice, an open top, and a central cavity communicating with said central opening, and

(4) a metal slug received in said central cavity, whereby removal of said heat exchanger is not necessitated in operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,448,315 8/1948 Kunzog 165-119 3,095,122 6/ 1963 Lewiecki et a]. 222-146 3,263,744 8/1966 MacKeOWn 222-146 X 3,302,833 2/1967 Leikg 222146 3,312,375 4/1967 Williams 239- SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

